Wave-motor.



E. H. ANGELI..

Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l @Rem QM E. H. ANGBLL.

WAVE MOTOR.

APPLICATION IILBDVMAR. 14. 1908.

'Patented Aug 9,1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET Z.

W/TNESSES E. H. ANGELL.

'WAVE MOTOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. I4. 1908.

Y967,101 Patented Aug; 9, 1910. l 164 sHEE'Is-SIIEBT 3.

16 17 ZZ 'fifa-5- i f1 Imm/5 Ys- E. H. ANGBLL.

WAVE MOTOR.

K APPLIGATIQN FILED MAR.14, 1908. 96ml @l Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Amm/frs.

'uivrrnn sA'rnsrATENT onirica;

EUGENE H. ANGELL, 0F BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR.` OF OLNE-I-IALF T0 ANNIE M. .ANG-ELL, OF BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA.

WAVE-Moron.

VSpecificationl of Letters Patent.

l Patented Aug. 9, 1910.

Application tiled March 14, 1908. Serial No. 421,002..

This invention relates to wave motors, and` more particularly to wave motors which can be adjusted to allow for tidal or other variations in the water level, and which have oontinuously traveling series of vanes arranged to receive the water impact, andtransform the interrupted and discontinuous movement of the waves or other water iuctuations, intor substantially continuous poweruproducing movements of the mechanism.

More specifically, the invention relates lto wave motors supported on pilesl driven into the ground at theshore or into the bottom at the littoral, and comprising a platforml adjustably mounted upon the piles, powerdriven meansytor raising and lowering the platform, and series ofv vaiies arranged to travel continuously and to receive the impact of the waves, tlie'vanes being arranged to swing into inoperative positions when they are moving ,in ay direction opposite to the directioiiot the wave movement.

An object of the invention is ;to provide a simple, strong and'eiiicient wave motor for transforming ythe power of. the` waves into useful energy, which can be adjusted to allow for tidal and other water level :varia-A tions, and which itself,iproduces the power `for so adjusting it.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the 'class described in which the power of the waves is 'transformed into a bontinuous, useful power producing movenientof the mechanism, by means of aseries of vanes secured to flexible endless members such as chains, and arranged to be positioned operatively when moving in the dlrection of movement of the waves, and inoperatively when moving in an opposite direction, so that a return movement of the water, that is, a movement counter to the directionof the wave movement, does not retard the operation of the motor or decrease the power produced thereby.

@Theinvention consists in the construction and'coinbination of parts' to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims,` v i.

Reference is to b"` had tothe accompanying drawings forming apart of this specilicatin, in which similar characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which-- Figure l is a plan View of the wave motor; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same; Fig is an enlarged transverse section of a part of the motor showing the series of vanes and the Vadjusting mechanism; Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of a detail of the connecting means between the waveeactuated' ymechanism and the power producing mechanism; Fig. 5 isan enlarged transversesection of the detail shown in Fig. t; Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view showing a part of one of the chains which carry the vanes, and a guide channel in which it travelsgFig. 7 is an enlarged side elevation of one of the vane carrying chains, showing a linkin longitudinal section; Fig. .8 is an enlarged transverse section of one of the guide channels for the chains; Fig. 9 is a similarview of another of the guide channels; and Fig. l0 is a transverse section on the line 10-10 of Fig.l 3, showing the means for guiding the platform to adjust it longitudinally of its supporting l piles.

Before proceeding to a more detailed eX- planatioii of my invention, it should be un derstood that the wave motor can be mounted at. any suitable point of the seashore o'r vother littoral, preferably where the iva-ve movements are more or less regular. At certain points of the .sea-coast there are sand banks or the like which effect a certain uniformity. and regularity in the waves, and my motor can be most advantageously positioned at a point such as this. However, it

will be found useful wherever there are wave or other Water movements which can serve to propel the vanes to produce power. The platform which carries the varies, as well as Ythe power-producing means, is adjustable to allow for tldal and other variations, and to permit themechanism to be raised substantially above the surface of the water in case of heavy'storms and the like, during which waves ofexcessive size might damage' the structure. Having shown for example, elecf tric motors, as the power-producing mechanism, I wish to emphasize that I am not limited to this particular form of motor, and if so desired, can ei/rploy o'tliers. forexample air-compressors, with means for storing the compressed air to generate power. I provide power-driven means for raising and lowering the wave motor mechanism, and this mechanism is operated by means of the power developed by the wave motor itself.

The vanes, which are operated by the'wave ous iexible members,

belts, the runs of whlch are substantially orother movement, are carriedby continus Y horizontal. When the vanes are arranged at the lower runs of the chains they are engaged by the waves and are then operatively positioned in planes substantially perpendicular tothe runs of the chains.- When the vanes are at the upper runs, that is, the runs which move counter to the wave movement,

they are inoperatively positioned, and lie in. planes of the upper At' theupper ends, the piles carry longi ment thereof'with the rigid clutch sections tudinal stringers 13, bolted or otherwise secured in place. oCertain Vof the beams 12 are.

connected by longitudinal licor members 14, while others carry a casin 15 for electric storage batteries or accumuators'. The floor members 14 havebearings 16 arranged thereon,v in which is'journaled a shaft 17.

rlhe shaft 17 is driven by an electric motor 18 and has pulleys 19 loose thereon. Each of the pulleys 19 has a rigid clutch section 20 adapted to mesh with a" clutch sectionl 21 slidable upon the shaft 17 and constrained the clutch sections 21 and permit the engage- 20, through the manual voperation of the levers. i

Adjacent tothe stringers 13, certain of the beams12 have supports 23 carrying bearings 24 in which is journaled a' shaft 25 having pulleys26 rigid therewith. The pulleys'26 l are alined with. the pulleys: 19 and operajtively connected' with thesame by means of belts 27. 'One of the -lattervhas the runs crossed so that the shaft 25 can be driven in either; direction from the shaft 17 accordfmgly asaone or the other of thepulieys 19 is rigidly connected with the shaft 17 'by means of the clutchsections. The stringers 13 carry bearings` 28 in which' arejournaled longitudinal shafts 29 having rigid worms preferably chains orv erewith.- Hand levers'22 kcontrol 30 thereon, and which are operatively connected with the shaft 25 by means of bevel gears 31 and 32.

At the sides of the piles 11 are arranged longitudinal frames 33 spaced apart and 70 above one another, and connected by braces 34 bolted vor otherwise secured in position. The frames 33 are movably arranged with respect to the piles and are joined by transverse frames 35 arranged in spaced pairs 75 above one another. The frames 35, each comprise a central member 36, and side members 37 extending beyond the central member at the ends, and straddling the piles 11 as is shown mostclearly in Fig. 10. At the ends, .the central member 36,'and side members 37 of each of the transverse frames,

have brackets 38, setv in suitable recesses and provided with rollers 39 which engage the ypiles 11 and permit the movement longias tudinally oft-he same, of the frame, with a minimum of friction.I

.At each of the lpiles 11, and longitudinally thereof, is positioned athreaded rod 40 lpassing through suitable openings of the frames 33 and the transverse frames 35. The frames 33 have interiorly threaded sleeves 41 rigy.

'idly bolted or otherwise secured thereto, and

the transverse frames 35 are provided with similar sleeves 42. The threaded rods 40 95 pass through the, sleeves and are threaded'to correspond to the interior threads of the same. The lower ends of the rods 40 are journaied upon suitable brackets 43, bolted or otherwise fastenedto the piles 11.. The .100

upper endsoi'l the rods'.-4O pass through suitable openings of the -bea'r'nsl2, and through bearing collars 44 of'the latter, which are mounted in position by means. of screws or bolts. At the upper ends, that is, the ends l projecting above the beams 12, the rods have .worm wheels 45 'which mesh with theworms 30 of the rods 29. It will be understood that as the :threaded rods 40 are turned, the' threaded engagement of the same with the collars 41 and 42 tends to'raise or lower they frames-33 and 35, which constitute the platform for the wave actuated mechanism. The shafts 29 are driven from the shaft. 25

which can be rotated in one direction or the ,115

other, and can be driven by the motor 18.

Upon the lowertransverse frames 35 are positioned longitudinal stringers 46 adjacent to the braces 34, and between the. stringers 46 lare arranged longitudinal floor 12@ beams 47 which-.have bearings 48 mounted thereon, in which is ournaled a shaft 49. A shaft 50 is journale in bearings 51 carried .by the Hoor beams 47 and is substantially parallel to the shaft 49. The shafts 49 and 50 125 ave'pluralities,.of-sprocket wheels 52, operatively connected--- by chains 53. The chains 53 are formed rom'single links 54 having slots 55 -therethrough' in'which are -Pivotanyl'r iilolllledgllide rollers 56, and 1 3()V CAN cec/,101

yjoining them, double links 57 arranged at both sides of the single links and connected thereto by means of link pins 58. The latter, at the outer ends have guide rollers 59. The guide rollers 56 and the guide rollers 5S) are arranged in planes at substantially right angles, and serve to guide the chains in suitable guide channels` 60 and 6l, thereby eliminating to a large extent, the friction of the chains when traveling in the channels. The runs of the chains are substantially'horizontal and the channels 60 serve to receive the upper runs and are of substantially U-shape for this purpose, the chains traveling longitudi-nally of the channels as is shown most clearly in Fig. 6. The channelsl, which receive thelower runs of the chains, are of inverted U-form with inwardly disposed flanges 62 at the lower edges to receive and support the guide rollers 56. At the ends 63 of the channels, the latter are outwardly flared to permit the chains to enter the channels without difficulty. Intermediate the shafts 49 and 50 the floor beams have further bearings 64 in which is journaled a shaft 65 having rigid fly wheels 66, and

spnockets 67 and 68, of `which the latter are rigidly keyed or otherwise secured to the shaft. The shafts 50 and 65 are operatively connected by means of chains 69 which op eratively connect the sprockets 67, and' sprockets 70 of the shaft 50. Electric generators 71 are mounted in position upon the floor beams and have a common driving shaft 72 provided with sprockets 73. The latter are operatively connected with the sprockets 68 of theshafts 65, by means of chains 74. It will be understood that the motors are driven in this manner from the shaft 50, through the intermediate shaft 65. The sprockets 67 'of the intermediate shaft 65 are loosely positioned thereon, and at the opposite faces have pluralities of dogs 75 pivotally mounted inl position. Ratchets 76 aie firmly keyed or otherwise secured upon the shaft 65, and are adaptedto be engaged by the dogs 75. Face plates 77 are mounted at the sides of the sprockets 67 by means of screws or bolts 78 and serve to cover the dogs and ratchets. This construction permits the rotation of the shaft 65 in one direction, inoperatively, with respect to theelectric generators, and consequently, if the actuating mechanism should accidentally be moved in a direction opposite to the normal, the generators would not be retarded or stopped thereby.

At separated points of the chains 53 areprovided brackets 79 rigid with certain of the links 54 and constituting laterally disposed ears. Uprights 80, at substantially right angles to the runs of the chains, are secured at the ears and are held in position by angularly disposed braces 8l having the ends remote from the uprights secured to other links of the chains. Vanes S2 are pivoted at the brackets 79 and are fashioned from sheet metal or other suitable material. They are provided at oppositeA edges with strengthening rims or flanges 83 connected by cross bars 84. The uprights 80 of the adjacent chains 53 are connected by crossed braces 85, and at their'outer ends by connecting bars 86. The arrangement is such that when the vanes are on the lower runs of the chains they depend therefrom in substantially 'vertical planes, and adjacentto the uprights or supports therefor, so that the waveor other water Vmovements impact thereaga'inst and drive the chains, the vanes being held in planes substantially at right angles to the runs of the chains, by the uprights or supports. In this way the waves cause the chains to move continuously and ydrive the shaft 50, the intermediate shaft 65, and the dynamo shaft 72, to actuate the dynanios or other power-producers. When the vanes are at the upper runs of the chains they lie in inoperativepositions in planes substantially parallel tothe planes of -the runs, as is shown most clearly in Fig. 2. Consequently, any reflex wave movements cannot act to retard the'movement of the chains; similarly, the reflex movements are inoperativewith respect to the lower vanes, as the impact of the reflex waves thereagainst simply tends to swing them from the supports into inoperative positions to permit the water to pass therebeyond. The chains 53 move in the channels 60 and 61, the brackets 79 extending from the channels, as is shown most clearly in Fig. 3. In the vinoperative position of the vanes the latter The wave or other water movements are naturally intermittent and therefore normally tend to produce an intermittent movement of the chains and a correspondingly intermittent driving of the power-producing generators. in the operation of the latter, and I therefore provide the flywheels (56. It will be remembered that' owing to the dog-and ratchet construction of the sprockets 67 the shaft 65 can rotate in an operative direction independently of the shaft 50 to which it is connected by the chains A69. Consequently, the momentum acquired by the ily-wheels will continue the movement of the shaft 65, and the driving of the power-producing generators, after the shaft 50 has ceased to rotate, and will continue this movement until the vanes and the shaft 50 are actuated by the succeeding wave.

The casing l5, mounted upon certain of This 'would lead to inelliciency acertain roportion of the electric energy produced .The remainder of the y .the generators 71 is stored. energy. is conducted by suitable -line Wiresto the point of utilization. rIhe motor 18 draWs its supply' of current'from that stored in the accumi'ilator cells. This is also'` available, in case the wave motor should be tem orarily disabled, for employment at the'point of utilization of the electric energy produced' by the Wave motor.

Having thus described my invention, I

claim as newwignd desire. to'secure-by Letters Patent: -1.j In a Wave motor, endless flexible members arranged totravel continuously and v'having the runs substantially horizontal,

vanes extending transversely of said'members and pivoted thereto,

said vanes, when on the lower runs of said substantially vertical planes, said mem ers having .means for bracing saidlvanes against displacement from their substantially vertical planes, when impacted against by Waves coming from one .direct-ione.'

2. In a 'wave motor, endlessl fleXible inem- I' bers arranged to travel continuously, braces carried by said members and. varranged at substantially right, angles to the runs thereof,:and vanes pivoted upon said members adjacent to said braces and adapted to be sup-v ported thereby, said vanes being free to swin in one direction.

n a Wave motor, endless flexible inem` guide means for the runs of said mem.

bers bers: and vanes carried by said members and extending transversely from one to the other, each o f said members `having independent rollers adapted to engage said guide means, certain' of said rollers being arranged at angleswith others of said rollers;

4. In a Wave motor, an endless flexible member arranged to travel continuously, guide channels arranged to receive the runs of said-member, and vanes'pivotally mountedupon said member, said member having means for bracing said varies against impact from one direction only, said memb'er having i rollers for engaging said channels.

" ing rollers for engaging said 5. In a Wave motor, an endless chain arranged to travel, channels arranged to. receive theruns of said chain, saidehain havchannels, vanes p1votally`mounted upon said chain, and braces secured rigidly to said chain and adapted Ito hold said vanes in planes substantially perpendicular to the runs of Vsaid .i chain',

against` impact from one direction. 6.` In a wave motor, a plurality of endless 'guide the runs of said vanes arranged transversely of said 'and pivotally secured to the runs and braces carried by said chains members, bein in.

'shafts and having means position against impact from one direction, said chains having rollers for engaging said channels. V i

7. In a Wa ve inotor, a frame, shafts mounted upon said frame, sprockets rigid with said shafts, endless chains arranged upon said sprockets, channels to receive and guido vthe runs of said chains, vanes arranged transversely of said chains and pivotally secured thereto, braces mounted upon said chains and arranged at substantially right angles to the runs thereof, said braces being formedto hold said vanes operative against impact from one direction, and rollers carried by said chains and adapted to travel in said channels, said channels having the ends outwardly flared. y

8. In a wave motor, a frame, substantially parallel shafts journaled upon said frame, sprockets rigid with said shafts, endless c hains arranged` to travel upon said sprockets, the runs of said chains being substantially parallel to the Water surface, channels positioned to receive and guide the upper runs of said chains, lfurther channels positioned to receive and guide the lower runs. ofI said chains, said further channels having ianges, said chains having rollers arranged in planes at substantially right angles to each other and formed to engage said rst channels at the bottom and the sides thereof, and said further channels, at the sides and the flanges thereof, vanes pivotally mounted upon said chains, and braces mounted upon saidv chains and adapted to hold said vanes operative against impact from one direction.

9. In a Wave motor, a chainarranged to travel continuously and having vanes, land guiding" means for said chain, said chain aving rollers arranged in planes at' substantially right angles and adapted, gage said guiding means.

1 In a Wave motor, shafts, an endless flexible to enniember operatively connecting said for its Aoperation by Wave impacts, a further shaft operatively connected with one of said first sliafts,aiid

at the lower edges inwardly disposed power-producing. means controlled by `said further shaft, said further shaft-having a fly-wheel, and being arranged to rotate in an operative direction independently of said rst shafts. 'l

11. In a-wave motor, shafts, endless ilexible members:v operatively connecting said shafts, wave-operable vanes carried by said members, a further shaft having ally-wheel,

means for operatively connecting one of said first shafts and 5said further shaft, whereby lsaid further shaftl'isdriven by said first shaft, said means being inoperative to ro tate said further. shaft'nn one direction, and

power-producing mechanism controlled by said further shaft.

12. In a wave motor, shafts having sprock-t comici ets, an endless chain mounted upon said sprockets, a further shaft, a further sprocket on one of said tirstshaits, a loose sprocketon said further shaft, a chain operatively connecting said further sprocket and said loose sprocket of said further shaft, a ratchet rigid with said Vfurther shaft, a dog secured to said sprocket of said further shaft and adapted operatively to engage said ratchet. and power-producing mechanism controlled by said further shaft.

13. In a Wave motor, shafts, endless {lexible members operatively connecting said shafts, wave-operable vanes carried by said members, a further shaft having aptly-wheel, means for operatively connecting one of said first shafts and said further shaft, whereby said further shaft is driven.v by said first shaft, said means being operative tov rotate said further shaft in one direction only, power-producing mechanism controlled by said further shaft, and guide channels for the runs .of said flexible members, said members having rollers adapted to engage at4 the inside of said guide channels, said vanes being pivot-ally mounted upon said members and being inoperative when impacted against by Waves coming from one direction.

14. In a wave motor, a movable support,v

wave-operable mechanism carried upon said support, power-producing means controlled by said Waveeoperable mechanism, means for moving said support, and meansl for operating said last-mentioned meansV by the power produced by said power-producing means.

15. In a Wave motor, a support adjustable in a substantially vertical direction, Waveoperable mechanism carried by said support, power-producing mechanism controlled by said wave-operable mechanism, means for adjusting said support, a prime mover for driving said adjusting means, and means Jfor delivering power to said prime mover from said power-producing mechanism.

16. Ina Wave motor, a plurality of uprights, a support movable longitudinally of said uprights and guidingly engaging the same, Wave-operable mechanism carried by said support, power-producing,,mechanism carried by said support and controlled by said wave-operable mechanism, means for moving said support longitudinally of said uprights in both directions, a prime mover for operating said support-moving means, means for storing power produced by said power-producing mechanism, and means for driving said prime `1nover by the stored power.

the same, wave-operable mechanism carried Vby said support, powereproducing mechany ism carried bysald support and controlled by said Wave-operable mechanism, members engaging said support and serving to adjust tie same longitudinally of said uprights in both directions, aA prime mover for operating said members, means for storing power produced by said power-producing mechanism, and means for driving said prime mover by the stored power.

18. In a wave motor, a plurality of uprights, a support movable longitudinally of sald uprights and guidin'gly engaging the same,.waveoperable mechanism carried by said support, power-.producing mechanism carried by said support and controlled by said wave-operable mechanism, threaded rods, said supports having-correspondingly threaded collars engagingl said rods, means for rotating said rods in both directions, and

means for driving said last-mentioned means by the power produced by said power-producing mechanism.

19. In a wave motor, shafts, an'endlessiexible member operatively connecting said shafts and having vanes', said vanes being arranged to receive the wave impact and being movable into inoperative positions independently of one another, a further shaft operatively connected with one of said first shafts, and power-producing means controlled by said further shaft, said further shaft having a ily-Wheel and being arranged to rotate in an operative direction independ' ently of said first shafts.

20. In a wave motor, shafts, endless ilexible members' operatively connecting saidshafts andA arranged to travel continuously, braces. carried by said members and positioned at substantially right angles to the runs of said members, wave-o erable vanes pivoted `upon said members ad]acent to said braces and adapted to be supported thereby, said vanes being free to swing in one direc tion, affurther shat having a ily-wheel, means for operatively connecting one of said first shafts and said further shaft, whereby said further shaft is driven by said iirst shaft, saidmeans .being inoperative to rotate said further shaft in one direction, and power-producing mechanism controlled by said further shaft.

Q1. In a wave motor, a movable support, an endless flexible member arranged to travel upon said support, vanes carried by said member, said vanes being arranged to receive the wave impact and being movable 'into inoperative positions independently of one another, powerproducing mechanlsm controlledby said member, means for `moving said support to adjust it, and means for operatingsaid last-mentionedmeans by the power produced by said power-producing mechanism.

22. In a Wavemotor, a support adjust-V able in a substantially vertical directiomf.- endless flexible members arranged to travel-` continuously upon said support, braces earried by said members and positioned at angies to the runs of said members, vanes pivoted upon Vsaid members adjacent to said bracesand adapted to be supported thereby, said vanes being free toswing in a direction away from said braces, prower-producing mechanism controlled by said members, means for adjusting saidlsupport, a prime 10 mover for driving said adjusting means, and

mover from said power-producing mechan- In testimony whereof 1 have signed my name to this specification in the presence of l5 two subscribing Witnesses.

EUGENE H. ANGELL-` Witnesses:

MURRAY W. Barcos, J. IRVING READ. 

